On All Hallow's Eve
by LadyValerious
Summary: Anna is kidnapped and taken to Count Dracula's ballwhere death lurks, danger threatens, and nothing is as it seems.
1. Kidnapped!

**On All Hallows Eve**

**Rated:** PG-13 (mostly for later scenes, rating could POSSIBLY go up!)

**Summary:** The night of the masquerade ball from Anna's perspective. Embellishes and adds on to the movie...what really happened before, during, and after the ordeal?

**Chapters:** 1-Kidnapped

2-Meeting the Devil

3-Preparations

4-A Lonely Dance

5-Rescued

6-To Love a Werewolf

7-Reflections

**Author's Note:** Hey all, what's up? This is just a fun fanfic exploring the scenes surrounding Anna's kidnapping and Dracula's ball, nothing too complex. Seriously, though, I always wondered what happened before...and after, too! Rated for mostly violence, language, and sexuality...just to be safe! So anyways, hope you like it—if you do, please review! Thanks, Whitney

**Chapter One: Kidnapped**

Anna Valerious, brave and fearless gypsy princess, was afraid.

It probably had something to do with the fact that she was dangling upside down hundreds of feet in the air, carried painfully by the ankle by a vicious vampire, heading towards her mortal enemy's lair. Of course, knowing that her brother was dead and Van Helsing had been bitten wasn't helping either.

As she watched forests and rivers fly past below her and listened to Aleera's triumphant laughing, Anna fought both to keep her mounting fear constrained and her breakfast down. And as Dracula's castle loomed closer on the horizon, these tasks were getting harder and harder to perform.

"So, Anna," cackled Aleera, looking down at her captive in amusement, "I'm sure you are just _dying_ to meet my master! He will be _so_ pleased to have you."

Anna did not dignify this with a response, she merely spat in contempt.

"You know Anna," continued the vampire in a more bitter tone, "you caused us so much trouble! First Marishka, then Verona, both dead because of you and your _handsome_ young friend!"

This time Anna could not contain herself. She glanced up at her and spat, "Yes, and _you_ will be dead also in the near future, if Van Helsing gets anywhere near you!"

Aleera laughed again, and it rang in Anna's ears like a haunting echo as they neared Castle Frankenstein.

Aleera unceremoniously dumped Anna in a small stone covered chamber after flying in the castle gates and changing back into her human form. She then proceeded to admire her nails in apparent deep concentration while Anna, dizzy and exhausted, caught her breath and examined her bruised and torn ankle.

After a few moments Aleera walked over to her prisoner where she lay panting and kicked her hard in the ribs. "Get up," she taunted, eyes glinting. I know my master cannot wait long to see you!"

Anna glared at her as she awkwardly stood up, then gasped in pain when she put wait on her injured ankle. Aleera merely giggled as she left the room, locked the door, changed back into her vampire form, and flew off into the towers of the fortress, leaving Anna cold, wounded, alone, and once again very much afraid.

After carefully testing the door and perusing the room, she conceded that there was no escape and sat down in the center of her prison, her head in her hands.

"Oh, Van Helsing," she whispered. "Oh, Gabriel. Come quickly."

**A/N:** Sorry so short! This is basically just an introductory prologue. Keep reading, the chapters get longer and better! Plus, we get to meet Dracula, which is always cool. So please review and read on!


	2. Meeting the Devil

**Chapter Two: Meeting the Devil**

Anna must have fallen asleep—against all odds!—for when the huge metal door was opened loudly she jolted awake and sprang to her feet before remembering her hurt ankle. Even then, wincing in pain, she removed a knife from her boot and leaned against the wall, weapon ready, waiting for whoever it was to come in.

It was Dracula. She immediately knew it was him, though she had never laid eyes upon him except from very far away. He entered silently, letting the door slam shut behind him, and stood by it, enclosed by shadows, staring at her piercingly, hands behind his back. Now that her enemy was standing right in front of her, all thoughts of what she would do to him when she had the chance fled and she was left goggling helplessly, feeling foolish and once again afraid. He was an imposing and intimidating figure, with chiseled features and serene black garments, but once she met his sharp black eyes Anna was captivated in his gaze. Something about him enthralled her and she could not glance away. Slowly, she dropped the dagger and it clattered to the stone floor. He gave a small smile and bowed charmingly.

"A pleasure to finally meet you, Anna Valerious. I have heard _so_ much about you." Anna was tongue-tied and could merely stare as he smiled again and went on. "I am Count Vladislaus Dracula, as I am sure you know. Welcome to my fortress."

Anna, bringing up all her courage, shot back, "You cannot keep me here, Dracula! If I do not kill you, Van Helsing will!"

The count's eyes hardened and Anna wavered. He snapped, "I do not fear Gabriel Van Helsing, my princess, any more than I fear you." He sneered and looked her bedraggled and exhausted form up and down in a way that made her humiliated, as if she was simply a pebble in his shoe. She could not let him intimidate her! He must die, and she _must_ live.

"You have killed my entire family, and now my brother. I do believe one such as you _deserves_ to be killed!" she said, standing up straighter and ignoring her throbbing ankle. She could not show any more weaknesses to him.

Dracula stepped closer to her, and she involuntarily took a step back so that she was now against the wall. His eyes turned icy blue and his fangs shot out as he exclaimed, "Do you not think _I_ have suffered? _You_ and _Van Helsing_ have _killed_ Marishka, Verona, and hundreds of my children! Do you not think this has affected me? Do not think that perhaps _you_ also deserve to die, my _brave_ Anna Valerious?"

Panting, Anna did not reply. He regained his composure momentarily and smiled at her calmly. "Perhaps, however, we can put past wrongs behind us, Anna. I do not blame you any longer. Let us _forgive_ each other." He moved closer and slowly ran an icy finger across Anna's neck. "We could make quite a pair, you and I."

Revolted, Anna was about to retort when he suddenly moved to the other end of the cell, near the door. "Tonight, my dear Anna, is my All Hallows Eve ball. I am going, of course, and _you_ are going with me. Oh, and Aleera will be with you shortly to see about that ankle" Without waiting to see her reaction, he left the room, locking the door behind him.

This short meeting with the man she and her entire family had made their lives' goal to kill left Anna in a mild state of shock. She sat down again and stared at the ceiling, thinking of Dracula's words and her own fate and trying hard not to let tears fall.


	3. Preparations

**Chapter Three: Preparations**

Shortly after Count Dracula had left her, two Dwergi entered and pulled Anna roughly to her feet. Deciding it would be futile to resist, she let them lead her out of her cell, up three flights of stairs (which was a difficult, slow, and painful task), and into a lavishly furnished tower chamber where Aleera was leisurely sprawled on the canopy bed, watching her mockingly.

The Dwergi shoved Anna to the carpeted floor, bowed to Aleera, and left the room. Anna quickly got up and looked at Aleera defiantly, but the vampire simply laughed and moved so quickly that Anna could not even see her until she was standing right in front of her. Surprised, Anna stepped back and fell from the weight on her ankle.

Aleera cackled but said with bitterness, "I do hope you enjoyed meeting my master. He has been looking forward to this night for such a _very_ long time..."

"I will not comply to his wishes, Aleera. Nor yours."

"Oh, but you _will_. You see, you are an important key in my master's plans. How would _you_ like to be a vampire also, Anna? Would you too like to be Dracula's bride?"

Shocked, Anna was about to reply, but Aleera continued, walking over to a table where food had been laid out. "Here is your supper, princess...enjoy it, it could be your last!" With that, she tossed a half-rotted apple to her captive, which Anna caught and bit into deliberately, still watching Aleera's every move. The bride sauntered over to her and leaned in close. "My master wishes me to heal that poor ankle of yours...but I believe I shall not. No, dear Anna, I have other plans." Anna dropped the apple and tried to stand up, but Aleera caught her arms and held her down as her fangs grew and she leaned in to Anna's neck.

_No,_ thought Anna helplessly, _it cannot end this way! _She struggled, but it was no use. She would die like this, just another meal for Dracula's hateful bride...Suddenly, the door swung open and Aleera was thrown across the chamber, where she cowered in the corner. Anna, who was weakened and half-unconscious, briefly saw the count himself stomping into Aleera's room and yelling angrily at his bride and Aleera crying before she passed out, engulfed by darkness.

When Anna came to, her surroundings had changed yet again. This time, she was lying on a stone table in a room lit by torches. Sitting up and rubbing her head, Anna looked around in confusion and hoped Aleera was nowhere nearby. She wasn't, but Dracula was.

He stood silently in the corner, watching her with a half-smile on his face. When Anna saw him, he walked over to her and said smoothly, "Do not fear, Anna. Aleera lost her senses for one jealous moment, but she is better now. And so are you, see?"

Anna glanced down to see her boots had been removed and her ankle was healed. When she looked back up at Dracula, he was now pacing the room as he said, "I did not allow Aleera to kill you, although you deserved it, because I need you, Anna. And tonight, at the ball, you shall accompany me and help me with my own purposes." He stopped and looked at her again with those piercing eyes. "Do you understand?"

Anna furiously leaped off the table and reached for a dagger in her coat but saw she had been disarmed. Even angrier, she said, "You are mad, Count, I will never willingly assist you, you murderer!"

He laughed and said coolly, "All right then, _un_willingly."

Seething, Anna clenched her fists, watching her enemy walk over to a chest and pull out a huge scarlet gown, shoes, a crown, earrings, gloves, and an elaborate mask. He carried them over to her and laid them out on the table. He then turned to her and bowed mockingly. "For your use, Lady Anna. Made of finest silk and pearls from all across the world. I would be _honored_ if you would wear them tonight."

Anna glanced at the gown. It certainly was beautiful, but it repelled her. Anything from _him_ on her body would make her sick. "No," she said simply.

Dracula's smiling gaze wavered as he said threateningly, "Do not make me _force_ you, Anna. You will wear the gown and you will come to the ball. This is final."

Anna picked up the dress with shaking hands. What choice did she have? Turning around, she saw that Dracula was still there. "Leave!" she snapped. "I cannot get dressed with you staring at me!"

The count laughed. "Why not?" He reached out an fingered a lock of Anna's long hair. "You are my prisoner, Princess, and I shall do with you as I wish."

Anna glared as she yanked away from his cold touch and put the gown back on the table. Her captor laughed again and said, "Very well. There will be plenty of time to _stare_ at you very soon, Anna Valerious. Very soon." He then turned on his heel and walked out, but leaving the two Dwergi guards standing at the door, ruling out possibility of escape.

"Turn around," she ordered to the Dwergi. Snickering, they appeared to, but she didn't trust them not to look. Sighing and turning around herself, Anna removed her torn and weary outer garments, leaving her corset on—there was no way she could undo it. Then, with great trouble, she maneuvered the great gown over her head and attempted to smooth it out before slipping on the ruby shoes. They were her exact size, and Anna wondered just how long Dracula had been _expecting_ her. Then she hurriedly put on the rest of the accessories. Looking at her blurred reflection in a windowpane, she had to admit the effect was ravishing, but the knowledge she was covered in Count Dracula's gifts repulsed her. She wanted to fling them off, but knew this was not an option. She imagined this masquerade ball, what would it be like? She could guess of course. A public occasion for Dracula to either kill her or make her his new bride...or both. Revolted, she imagined him playing again with her hair, and quickly tore a scrap of fabric from her own clothes to tie her hair up in a loose bun. There. She looked back at the Anna in the window and hardly recognized herself. What would she look like as a bride of Dracula?

The thought made her sick.

Anna glanced back over at the Dwergi guards and saw they were watching her intently. Disgusted and a little intimidated, she couldn't help but wonder how long they had been doing this.

All of a sudden the door once again swung open and Dracula entered, dressed elaborately in an embroidered robe and cape, set off by a jeweled mask that, to Anna's disappointment, did not hide his eyes. He leisurely looked her over as Anna stood, seething but helpless to his cold and analytical gaze. She clenched her fists as he approached her. "Very good, Anna. I must say, you do clean up nicely." He reached out for her hand, and Anna saw herself take it, against her will.

"What are you doing, "she cried. "You cannot control me!"

"Can I not?" he replied, raising one eyebrow. "You are under my thrall now. Completely in my control."

Anna cried out in dismay as she found herself curtsying to him before walking over to meet his outstretched arm.

"Now," he whispered in her ear, "you will come downstairs with me to the ballroom. The guests have just started to arrive, and we must not be late."

Wish that, Anna and the count left the room and walked down the stairs towards the monster's ball.

**A/N: **Whew, long chapter! Hope that made sense to you guys and that you like it! Much more to come, we're just getting to the good parts...


	4. A Lonely Dance

**Chapter Four: A Lonely Dance**

For an event hosted by the most evil being on earth, the ball was stunning.

Anna gasped as she entered on the arm of the count. There were lavish decorations, flame throwers, acrobats, singers, musicians, and hundreds of extravagant ballroom dancers that spun endlessly around the room. Anna assumed they were the aristocrats of Transylvania, the likes of which had nothing to do with gypsies such as herself.

When the huge doors were opened to reveal Count Dracula and his partner, all action in the ballroom ceased. Acrobats and singers stopped performing, and all the guests stopped dancing to all look over at their host. Then, everyone in the chamber bowed low to Dracula at the same time, a wordless sea of masked faces. The count smiled and inclined his head slightly in greeting, and Anna, feeling all eyes on her, found herself doing the same.

At once, noise and dancing resumed and the doors closed again. Anna was left standing next to Dracula, who looked down at her through the mask and smiled. "Come, my Anna. Let us...dance."

Dance they did.

Anna was mildly shocked to find herself spinning a complicated waltz, performing moves she never heard of, let alone seen or carried out. As Dracula's thrall took a deeper hold on her, she gradually stopped thinking and slipped away into a world of music and dancing that never, ever, stopped. The count's icy grip never relaxed, and she began not to mind.

Then the dance changed, and for a moment the dancing halted. Anna was barely aware of unrecognizable faces moving past her, staring, talking among themselves, and then Dracula reached up and gently removed her mask, letting it fall to the floor. This unexpected movement jolted Anna momentarily out of her stupefied state, and she gazed up at Dracula in anger. Before she could say anything, the hypnotic dance began once more, and off they went, twirling and spinning across the dance floor.

During a lull in the music, the count leaned slowly in, opening his mouth and forcing Anna closer. Horrified, she struggled, but felt her mouth meeting his and soon she was locked in a 'passionate' kiss. Being entwined with Dracula's body and having his tongue inside her mouth made her sick and furious. She let out a groan and managed to jerk away. He laughed softly and forced her back so that he was leaning over her. "How does it feel to be a puppet on my string?" he asked mockingly before Anna was lifted up and the dance continued.

With a jolt of reality, Anna remembered their conversation on the stairs right before the ball. _Do not fear, Anna. _he had said to her. _Your dear Gabriel shall be at the dance also, with the monster. You, for a monster. A good trade, no?_

With a sick feeling, she realized now what he was talking about. He had managed to lure Van Helsing here, no doubt under the promise that he would return Anna if Gabriel handed over the Creature. Noà½€ She would not let it happen. If Dracula had the monster his children would be ressurected and vampires would rule the world. The fate of the world was more important than her fate, or even that of her family. It was a hard decision, but she knew it was the right one.

Anna could feel herself getting drawn into the thrall once more, and she said weakly, "I _won't_ let you trade me, Countà½€"

Her partner looked down at her, somewhat surprised, before saying laughingly, "I have no intention of trading you. And if I know Van Helsing, which I do, he does not plan on making a trade either." With that, he spun her around so fast that Anna was dizzy.

Her mind barely registered this new information before she was entrapped in Dracula's spell and the dance once more. The count said then, almost to himself, "Neither of us has ever settled for half."

Soon, they stopped again and Dracula was behind her now, fingering her arms and touching her neck lightly with his lips.

Thoroughly disgusted, Anna growled, "You make my skin crawlà½€"

"That's not all I could do with your skin," came the reply. Anna shivered as she felt his hands and mouth come into contact with her body. When he abruptly took off again, and she once more felt her feet performing a waltz, she was almost grateful.

Suddenly he stopped and forced Anna to lean far back, held up only by his arm. Stunned, she looked up at him, saw where he was looking, and turned.

It was the most shocking thing she had seen all night, and she gasped in fear. There, in a huge full length mirror, was her reflection...but only hers. There she was, bent over backwards by an unseen force, holding on to thin air. In the mirror, the room was empty but for a lone girl in a bright red dress. There were no dancers, no singers, no acrobats. There was no Count Dracula. She was alone, and of course it could only mean one thing.

"Oh. My. God." It was all she could say.

There was a trace of—bitterness? resignment?—in Dracula's voice as he yanked her up again, saying, "Don't we make a lovely couple?" Anna could not reply.

Dracula pressed Anna against him and she saw her hand moving up over his chest, to where his heart should be. It was silent. "You have no heartbeat!" she gasped, half in fear and half in wonderment.

"Perhaps," said Dracula as he forced her down, down, so he was looming over her like a dark shadow, "it just needs to be rekindled..." She shivered as he caressed her bare skin, moving up to her neck and flicking a stray hair away. Anna was looking right into his eyes now, and she watched in horrified, frozen fascination as they turned blue and his teeth elongated into sharp fangs.

Feeling weak, dazed, and more than a little confused, she leaned her head back and waited for the sting as those sharp teeth moved closer to her exposed neck.

**A/N: **Hi! Hope you like this chapter, it was fun to write, lol. I know I didn't change it much, but that's kinda the point. I want to simply elaborate on the scene (my favorite in the movie) and explain things a little more. So if you were expecting me to alter it a little, sorry! Thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed, much appreciated. I love seeing what people think about my stories!

**the Widow Dracula: **I really like your reviews, long and informative!  Thanks. Yes, I thought about breaking off from Anna's POV but decided not to because I just want it to be about Anna, not anyone else...yet. In Chapter 5 and so on I will. But thanks!

**Ally: **Sorry, no Anna x Dracula...at least in this story! I'm writing another one that is.

**Clove and punk rock princess: **Thank you! More to come...very soon.


	5. Rescue

**Chapter 5: Rescue**

Gabriel Van Helsing had only one thought on his mind as he stepped purposefully through the doors leading into the ball. He was going to save Anna, or else.

"Or else what?" ventured Carl when he spoke this thought out loud.

"Or else Dracula and everyone in here gets it...that includes you, Carl."

"Irritable, aren't we.."

"Just a little," replied Gabriel grimly. He looked carefully around the room, looking for Anna, but it was impossible to distinguish one face in the throng of rapidly moving dancers and guests. "We have to get higher," he said, heading towards a nearby staircase that led to a balcony above the dance floor. Carl followed without complaint.

It had been surprisingly easy to get into Castle Frankenstein, once he had obtained elegant costumes. The ushers had bowed and simply let them walk by. He supposed Dracula's All Hallow's Eve Ball had a don't ask, don't tell policy. On the other hand, he was of course being expected, and he couldn't help but feel he was still an utterly distinguishable figure...

The balcony was thankfully empty, and it gave Gabriel and Carl a clear view of the colorful scene below. After a few seconds of searching—there was no time to waste—he saw Dracula, the center of the activity, waltzing elegantly with—Anna? A closer look showed that it was indeed. She was wearing a ridiculously extravagant gown and had her hair up, which changed her look entirely, but he could tell it was her. He struggled to keep from crying out in indignation when he saw Dracula kiss her and caress her. He wondered what else he had been doing to her. Oh, when he had his hands on that vampire.. Then he remembered how it was virtually impossible to kill him and decided to wait until a later date. Right now, his focus was purely Anna.

"Well," he managed to say to Carl, who was busy watching the stunning acrobatics show, "it looks like he hasn't harmed her...yet. Who knows what he'll do when he finds out we don't have the creature, though. We're going to have to make this fast." He searched the scene below for a plan, any plan...then it came to him. Unlikely? Yes. Difficult? Definitely. Possible? Of course.

"Carl," he said, staring fixedly at the acrobat swinging nearby, "you're going to have to do something for me. For Anna."

Carl turned to look at Van Helsing. He said in resignation, "I'm not going to like this, am I?"

Gabriel merely smiled tightly and told him what to do.

**A/N: **We all know what happens, right, so I decided to spare you from a long and boring explanation and just skip to the action. Hope that's okay! Here goes...

Van Helsing watched as Carl moved quickly through the crowd to where Dracula had Anna, towards the flame thrower. Perfect. He turned his attention to his own task then, and concentrated as he stepped up on the balcony railing and waited for the swinging acrobat to come closer.

_Anna,_ he thought. And then he jumped.

Anna waited, eyes shut tightly, but the sharp pain to fangs in her neck never came, and soon she felt no cold touch, no draining support on her back, and she fell to the floor. Snapping her eyes open again, she looked around in a daze and saw Dracula a few feet away...on fire? Shaking her head to try to clear it but finding it an impossible task, she dizzily pulled herself up. _The music has stopped,_ came a thought from her half-conscious mind, and then a dark shape came flying towards her and she was flying.

She watched Dracula and the dancers—who were still now—get smaller as she flew up, and then, feeling slightly less dazed, she looked over at her rescuer. It was none other than Gabriel Van Helsing.

"Gabriel..." she whispered, feeling an exhilarating _whoosh_ on her now free neck as she sped through the air. It was too good to be true.

Then she came to a stop, and she felt Gabriel's strong arms rest her gently on her feet. She stumbled back against a wall, but felt the thrall wearing off now that she was away from Dracula, away from the hypnotizing music and the never ending dance.

"Are you all right?" came Gabriel's voice, and she looked at him. Was she? Yes, she supposed she was. It was over now. She was with Van Helsing, and they were safe.

Immediately, she began to rip off the count's 'gifts'—the crown and earrings clattered to the floor. She started to unclasp the necklace, then froze.

The calm, smooth voice she now knew so well drifted up the still air, floating through the balcony and into Ann's ears. "Gabriel," it called. "Oh, Gabriel..." dreading what she would see, Anna unglued herself from the wall to follow Gabriel over to the balcony edge. She looked down at the owner of the voice and gave an involuntary shudder, thankful nevertheless that fifty feet separated him from her.

Dracula looked slowly up at two member audience, and the eyes of every still guest in the ballroom followed his. Under the heat of a thousand piercing eyes, Gabriel merely stood, still and unreadable, his own eyes fixed on the figure in black below.

"Welcome to my summer palace," was all the count said. Anna saw his gaze shift to her for an instant, and when he caught her eye she saw the glimpse of a small, knowing smirk.

"Master, master!" came the shrill voice of an unknown child, breaking the icy quiet in the room. "Look master, look!" Dracula, of course, turned and looked, with thelegions of dancers once more following his lead. With a sick feeling, Anna too, looked and caught her breath when she saw the interruption.

It was the creature, of course. Strapped to a moving wooden piece, he was carried through a parting crowd toward the waiting, smiling count, yelling and struggling the entire time, but to no avail. "No," Anna cried. After all this, all she and Van Helsing had been through this night, it couldn't end this way!

Slowly, ever so slowly, Count Dracula turned around to once again face Gabriel and Anna. "Now," he said softly, with an underlying trace of menace, "that everything is as it should be..." He turned slightly, gesturing to the many guests who were watching their host intently. "Ladies and gentlemen, I give to you—VAN HELSING!" He spun around, and with that what Anna had suspected and feared became reality: the throng of dancers, of acrobats and singers and magicians, turned in one terrifying instant into a mass of furious fanged vampires. They roared and looked up at them in hated and bloodthirsty anticipation, as Dracula's cold laugh rang out above them all.

Anna, who was wide awake now, turned and grabbed a weapon from a nearby suit of armor, but was infuriated when Gabriel hurriedly dragged her away.

"Not now," he growled, dragging her towards a door. "Plenty of time for heroics later." They dashed into an adjoining room of the balcony, frighteningly aware of the hundreds of vampires right behind them. Thankfully, Carl was in the room, standing by a huge stained glass window, puzzling over a device of some kind.

He looked up in surprise, eyes widening, and asked, "Where...are we going?"

It was almost humorous. Anna and Gabriel looked at each other, locking eyes for an instant, before replying confidently, "Through the window!"

They barely registered Carl throwing the device he was holding and the door being broken down by dozens of vampires before, indeed, leaping into the window itself.

Holding Gabriel's hand in a tight grip, Anna felt the sting of glass, the gust of wind in a fall, and the cold, wet impact of water, then a blinding flash of light obscured her vision and she saw no more. All she was aware of was Gabriel's hand still entwined with her own.

**A/N: **Sorry that took so long to upload! School's kept me busy. Hopefully it was worth the wait, however, lots of action in this chapter! Hope you guys like it. Yes, I took some more creative liberties with this scene but whatever...basically the next two chapters will be completely made up, so yeah... Thanks once more to all reviewers. Your comments are awesome to read!


	6. To Love a Werewolf

**Chapter 6: To Love a Werewolf**

Anna felt herself sinking, struggling, clawing towards the top of the freezing waters. Fighting panic, she gripped Gabriel's hand tighter and gasped in a huge gulp of air when she finally broke the surface.

Sputtering and looking a bit dazed, Van Helsing surfaced next to her and Carl was already treading water a few feet away, looking up at the broken window and watching the castle fill up with blinding light.

Gabriel was the first to figure it out. "Carl," he marveled, "you are a _genius_!"

"What?" said Anna intelligently, confused. She was trying hard to focus, but her mind was screaming in joy to be free of Dracula's clutches and she was having trouble thinking straight.

"Well," Carl said happily, "it appears those unstable chemicals I brought along for safety actually came in handy. They destroyed all those vampires!" He looked up again in amazement at the light, which was fading now. The night was still and calm, and it was hard to believe what had happened just moments before.

"Not Dracula though, I'm sure.." muttered Van Helsing.

"No," admitted Carl. "It'll take more than some unstable chemicals for him."

During their conversation Anna had released her death grip on Gabriel's hand and had floated off a little ways away, recovering. Her right arm was throbbing. She removed the long white gloves and saw that it had been cut, probably from the shattering window. Remembering her ankle, she frowned. None of Dracula's powers to heal her now, which was just as well. She hoped she never saw him again.

She shivered, partly from the cold water and partly from the ordeal behind her. She remembered all too well Dracula's penetrating stare, his strong hold on her, his thrall, his fangs...

"Anna!" came Gabriel's voice. He swam over to her and gripped her shoulders, stopping her trance. "Are you sure you're all right?"

She managed to nod. "I—I think so."

He tilted his head to the side, frowning slightly before giving a reassuring squeeze to her shoulders, his slightly awkward attempt at sensitivity and compassion, she supposed.. "It's over, Anna, but we're not safe yet. We've got to get out of here."

"Besides," broke in Carl, "he still has the monster...speaking of which..."

He pointed a wet, shaking hand and Anna and Gabriel turned.

Frankenstein's monster was being led out of the castle gates on a raft, propelled by Dwergi and led by Dracula's despicable servant, Igor. Anna, Gabriel, and Carl were too far away to hear what, but he said something and waved mockingly at them as the raft sailed off and the huge iron gate began to close, locking them off from the monster and the castle...which, Anna thought fleetingly, perhaps wasn't such a bad thing.

But Gabriel Van Helsing, of course, had to try to stop from losing the creature. "We can't let them get away!" he yelled at Anna and Carl before swimming quickly off after the swiftly moving raft.

Anna, shivering and exhausted, said, "It is no use! He's won this battle, don't you understand? We're lucky to escape with our lives! Live today, fight tomorrow." (A/N: Yes, I took that from _The Mummy_! Love the quote though, and it seems to fit, so why not?) Her plea was lost on deaf ears, however, as Van Helsing continued to swim. She sighed heavily and began to follow, but the heavy gown slowed her down.

By the time she and Carl reached Gabriel, he was clenching the closed gate so hard his knuckles were white, staring fixedly in frustration at the raft as it got farther and farther away, finally disappearing behind a corner.

"Van Helsing?" Anna said softly, lightly touching his shoulder.

He did not look at her, merely growling, "They're gone. Dracula has him."

Anna looked away, staring at the cold and murky water. Carl said something about Van Helsing having to kill the monster, but Anna wasn't listening. She was lost, struggling not to drift away again into the world of the masquerade ball, fighting Dracula's hold on her still. Gabriel was right, a part of her mind thought dully. If the count could indeed bring all those vampires to life, the world was doomed, and she and he would die right along with it.

Her melancholy thoughts were interrupted by an angry shout from Van Helsing. She stared in shock and apprehension as he lifted Carl half way out of the water with inhuman strength, yelling at him and shaking his throat roughly.

"No!" she cried. She grabbed his shoulder, trying to pull him away, but he shrugged her off and she went underwater for a moment. When she surfaced, he was holding on to the gate again, panting and looking pained. Anna started to cry, silent tears rolling down her already wet face and mingling with the sky's tears as it began to rain. Carl stared at his friend, rubbing his neck, and Van Helsing said quietly, "I'm sorry, Carl. I'm sorry, Anna. It's—the curse—" he broke off, head in his hands. Anna put a faltering hand on top of his, and he looked up at her, making eye contact and shaking his head slightly. "I—I don't know what happened—just so damn _frustrating_..."

"We understand," Carl quickly assured him, and Anna nodded. "He hasn't won yet, you know. We still have time to get him back."

Van Helsing attempted a smile that looked a bit more like a grimace, but Anna returned one as best she could.

As the rain beat down harder upon Castle Frankenstein, the small group swam away from the entrance gate and to the shore in silence.

As he climbed out of the freezing water, Gabriel didn't feel cold. In fact, he was very hot—seething and panting, thinking of the creature's fate...and of course, his own. The werewolf venom had already begun to take it's toll on hi. The scene at the gate had felt almost uncontrollable. It was as if it wasn't really him at all—someone else was holding his best friend up by the neck, someone else was screaming and shoving the woman he was beginning to care deeply for—and he was standing aside, watching in horror.

He shook his wet hair and gave a deep sigh. It really was over now, and there was truly nothing else he could do. At least Anna was safe...

He looked around at her. Carl had already climbed out, and was standing aside trying to wring out his clothes, but she was just starting to climb up, but having a difficult time in that awful gown. He offered her his hand and she looked up at him in mild surprise before placing her small gloved hand in his again. It felt right to him, their hands gripped together like that.

He pulled her out of the water, and she stood in front of him, shivering uncontrollably. He grinned and placed his heavy jacket around her bare shoulders, saying dryly, "Sorry, no hat this tie...lost it in the castle, I'm afraid."

She smirked and wrapped the coat around her. "Why, thank you, Mr. Van Helsing. I see you're still a gentleman."

His smile wavered but he made light of it, saying, "No, Anna, even the curse of the werewolf won't stop e from being kind to you."

She laughed and glanced down, saying—shyly???—"And of course I am very thankful for the timely rescue, Mr. Van Helsing."

"Call me Gabriel," he said, and she gave a small smile. "And it was nothing, truly. I'm just glad you're all right."

Their eyes met and he felt himself leaning in towards her...

"Come _on_ you two..." came Carl's rather annoyed voice. "We better get back to the village before Dracula comes after us himself to finish the job."

A little embarrassed, Gabriel and Anna looked away and dropped their hands before agreeing hurriedly that this would be a wise course of action.

Without further ado, the trio began the trek away from Castle Frankenstein just as heavy rain began to fall and it no longer mattered that they were soaking wet.

Fortunately for Anna, everyone in the village was fast asleep and they could enter her house unnoticed and unquestioned. It was ironic, she mused, that none of the people she led knew, _really_ knew, her everyday struggle; it seemed her every waking moment revolved around merely surviving. Nor would they ever know what went on this night, her near escape from death and an even worse fate.

Now that she truly was the last Valerious, the burdens of her responsibilities would be even harder to bear. She grimaced, thinking of how she would soon have to break the news of Velcan's death to the villagers.

No, she thought, the only person who seemed to really understand her and her inner longings was Gabriel Van Helsing. How strange that such a remarkable stranger was turning out to have such an effect on her life...

Anna took her leave of Gabriel and Carl after showing them to their rooms and went to her own. She was dripping with water, her hair was a complete disaster, and she couldn't wait to tear off this hideous dress, to leave behind all that was left of Dracula's influence on her.

Sighing, she walked to her dressing mirror and took down the last of her hair, covering her neck and trying not to think of the count at all. As she removed the long gloves, wincing at the cut in her arm, a movement at the corner of the mirror caught her trained eye, and she spun around just in time to see the door to her chamber slowly open.

In walked Van Helsing.

Flustered, she said, "Van—Gabriel! You at least could have knocked!"

He shrugged. "I did! You must not have heard me..."

She raised one eyebrow. "What are you doing here, in my private chambers?" He had not changed yet either, she saw.

"Well," he said, coming closer, "I just wanted to be sure you were all right, once and for all."

She sighed. "I'm fine now, thank you." He was right in front of her now, and she looked up at him in mild irritation. It was sweet of him, for sure, but she desperately wanted to get into warm clothes and go to sleep.

He tilted his head to the side a little, saying, "And, I thought you might need some help getting out of that gown. Corsets are terribly hard to remove, I'm sure..."

She gaped, astonished at his boldness, then blushed fiercely, much to her dismay. She laughed as if it were a joke, but leaned in closer, saying softly, "Why thank you, Gabriel. Your help would be much appreciated." Going to sleep could wait a little longer... Rather shocked at her _own_ boldness, she leaned up then, and kissed him on the mouth.

He was also surprised at first, but recovered quickly. He brought her closer to him and kissed her back. She savored the feel of his lips against hers for a long moment...it was so simple, so pure, she thought, so unlike Dracula's poison on her body...

When they broke away at last, Gabriel smiled at her, and it was a real smile. It was as if the events of the past hours were long forgotten and they were the only two beings in the universe, locked in each other's gazes.

He reached then for the strings of her dress, and she unbuttoned his shirt. And as they fell back onto the bed, Anna felt for the first tie in years that she didn't have a care in the world.

A/N: First of all, so sorry that took so long, I rewrote this chapter like five times and then I got sidetracked by Thanksgiving break, lol. I did change some things from the movie in this chapter, but I guess that's why it's fiction...I originally planned to focus more on Van Helsing's 'werewolf affliction' but it turned out a little different—I think it's okay this way though. But I hope, as always, that you liked it, it was fun writing a little fluff—Anna needed a break after all that! Sorry if you were expecting their 'big love scene' (lol) to be a little more graphic, but I think it's more effective to keep it implied, and tasteful, you know? Anyway, I'm starting to babble...thanks again for reading and reviewing! On to the final chapter...


	7. Reflections

**Chapter 7: Reflections**

_A/N: Well, here it is at last, the final installment of 'On All Hallows Eve'! I hope you have enjoyed reading this story as much as I did writing it! It's almost sad to end it...ah well, I'm working on more VH fics right now, so I guess it's time to move on...Thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed! Your kind words mean so much. Now, without further ado, _Reflections...

* * *

When Gabriel returned to his room, he postponed sleep a _little_ while longer and stood for a long time staring out the window at the nearly full moon and thinking.

He thought about Anna, tracing her lovely face and her perfect body in his mind and storing away every moment of their last 'encounter'. She was amazing, he thought in wonderment. Strong and yet fragile at the same time. It was almost as amazing, he thought wryly, what a powerful effect she had on him. He had never thought of himself as a sentimental, loving man, but now he was beginning to wonder..._I'll always protect you, Anna Valerious_, he promised silently. _Forever._

He thought then of Dracula, trying to muster some way to stop him from using Frankenstein's creature but finding none. Clenching his fists now, he heard the count's voice ringing over and over in his head..._Gabriel...Oh, Gabriel..._He knew his forgotten past was entwined somehow with Dracula's, but he wasn't sure he wanted to know how...

Most of all, he thought about himself. His past, his future. The curse. He put a hand to his chest where he had been bitten and sighed heavily. _Not much time. Not much time at all._

His shadowy reflection in the window was directly below that huge moon, and Gabriel Van Helsing thought suddenly how small he looked in comparison.

* * *

Anna Valerious, warm at last, lay in her bed after Gabriel left, alone, but not _truly_ alone. She felt as if he was there still, kissing her, caressing her, saying—could it really be? —that he loved her.

Love. It was such a powerful word, she mused. It required so much strength, feeling... She had never truly been _loved_. Velkan—God rest his soul—had cared deeply about her, certainly, and she had looked up to him and cared for him as well. But did they love each other? Perhaps not. Both of them had spent their entire lives in a mad race against time, with death lurking around every corner. No time for real _love._ Her parents—it was the same, really. She never even got to truly know them before death snatched them away. _I have missed much in life_, she thought sadly.

But maybe Gabriel Van Helsing could change this, give back the carefree, _loving_ life she never had. A life with him would be adventurous, surely, but not without joy and, yes, love.

Before that could happen, together they had to defeat Count Dracula.

Dracula...his face appeared unbidden in her mind, and her thoughts turned to this night—was it truly only a few hours ago that she was enthralled in his lethally seductive spell? It seemed an eternity, an unreal experience that took place too long ago to remember clearly. A half-forgotten nightmare.

_So close_, came the thought. _So close to the most evil being on earth. So close to such sharp fangs. So close to death, and much worse than death._ She did not want to think about what would have happened if Gabriel had been only a few seconds late.

No matter. It was over, she was home, and Gabriel _loved her_. And for now, that was all that mattered.

* * *

Vladislaus Dracula stood silently in his private chamber at his fortress, looking in apparent fascination at the flickering flames of the torch on the cold stone wall.

The shadows became Dracula, bringing heightened awareness of his striking features, sleek hair, dark clothes. It was the environment he was most comfortable in, fittingly so.

Like a dark shadow himself, he began to pace the room, boots clicking methodically on the stone as he walked, staring at nothing in particular...immersed in thought.

Aleera was still sulking about not being able to attend the ball, and did not know yet what had happened there. He assumed she thought he was with the Valerious girl now, his new bride. He shrugged. Let her think so. He did not really care what she thought at the moment. His own thoughts were too numerous and complicated.

He did not take kindly to failure. It had always been that way, even in life. He had to win, had to succeed. At any cost. His life—and death—had brought him failure nonetheless, and in many ways tonight was yet another.

It was a bittersweet victory, he thought. The monster or the princess? Fate had chosen for him. He supposed he couldn't have both.

His lips twitched slightly in what might have been a smile. It was ironic, really, that he and Gabriel had "traded" after all, though neither willingly. _Are you happy now?_ he thought to Gabriel. For him, too, the night was bittersweet, though Dracula suspected somehow that it was a little more sweet than bitter.

She could have been his. Should have been. They deserved each other, were meant to be together. They had so much in common, were perfect foils. She was strong, brave, headstrong, beautiful. And she was so near to becoming his—forever.

Dracula cursed inwardly. He should have bitten her right away, instead of toying and playing for so long. It was pride, too, he had to admit. Making Anna Valerious a vampire, his _bride_, before Gabriel Van Helsing's helpless eyes had been so utterly tempting, but apparently foolish.

He sighed as he broke off his endless pace and stood still in the center of the chamber, next to the cold hard coffin that was his true lair. It shouldn't have gone wrong. Everything had been perfect, meticulously planned. Yet he had made the error of underestimated Gabriel Van Helsing, and if there was one thing to be said about Vladislaus, it was that he learned from his mistakes. They made him stronger, even more invincible than before. It would not happen again. Gabriel had used his last defense, there was no possible new weapon or plan that could foil him now.

As for Anna Valerious—Count Dracula smiled, thinking of it. He would have her in the end. _After all, eternity awaits._

* * *

END


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